Huntsville Ranks Among the Best Cities for Working Parents

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Foundation has renewed its partnership for 2023 with the national Best Place for Working Parents® program, offering real-time designations to businesses of all sizes whose family-friendly policies qualify through a first-of-its-kind, 3-minute online self-assessment.

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Foundation’s partnership offers local business leaders the opportunity to instantly determine whether their organization qualifies to earn a Best Place for Working Parents® designation, positioning them among the leading family-friendly businesses in the U.S.

In 2022, more than 90 local companies earned the designation. The Huntsville/Madison Chamber invites all to take the assessment again for 2023, as there is no cost to complete the survey.

While family-friendly policies have a direct impact on working parents, local and national research proves there is also a serious business case to being family-friendly:

• 83% of millennials would leave one job for another with stronger family-friendly support.

• Replacing an employee costs an employer six to nine months of that employee’s salary.

• Over 60% of working parents said childcare issues have caused them to miss work.

• Employers lose $13 billion annually due to childcare challenges faced by their workforce.

Lyndsay Ferguson, Executive Director of the Chamber Foundation, leads this effort for The Chamber.

“The Chamber Foundation is proud to partner in this program that provides best practices, research, and data to local employers who are looking for ways to best support their workforce. We share the belief that every child, family, and business deserve the opportunity to thrive. Attracting and retaining top talent, maintaining a thriving and productive culture, and building a sustainable workforce pipeline for the future is critical to the success of our community,” Shared Ferguson.

Ferguson also explained why family-friendly business practices are curcial for the continued growth of Huntsville’s community.

“Childcare is really a two-generation issue – it not only affects our current workforce and their ability to work, but access to high quality child care also lays a critical foundation for children, the workforce of the future. Investing in this effort today is also an investment in our future. The Chamber Foundation exists to ensure the growth of Huntsville by supporting the education and workforce talents here. We aim to align resources that address employment opportunities and challenges in Huntsville/Madison County and improve the quality of life for all residents. As our community continues to grow, it has become increasingly apparent that access to quality child care is a critical component in our mission,” Ferguson continued.

National research reveals that there is a serious business case to being family friendly.

The Best Place for Working Parents™ partnered with SMU’s Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) to survey 825 families and working parents in May 2021 to learn what will constitute the “new world of work” – and what employees and employers need to know in order to thrive in the post-

COVID environment.

“We believe there is a serious business case to being family friendly. That can look different for different businesses, but many don’t know where to start. This partnership allows companies to assess where they are today and to benchmark against companies in similar sizes and industries to identify ongoing opportunities to meet the unique needs of their workforce,” stated Ferguson.

Compared to their competitors, great workplaces win when it comes to revenue growth, employee retention, productivity, innovation, resilience, agility, customer service, and employee engagement.

Many employers surveyed their employees over the last year to find out how they could support their workforce during a particularly trying time for families and working parents. The need for childcare is not just a desired “perk” for today’s working parents – but has emerged as a necessity that impacts performance, attendance, and engagement at work.

The effects of childcare issues are not limited to a specific demographic or industry – the majority of our survey respondents indicated their work life has been negatively affected due to breakdowns in child care.

As business leaders consider options to support the 84% of working parents that need full time childcare today, it is helpful to understand specifically what parents are looking

By: Ashlyn Grey /

of Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau

for when it comes to care. The top priorities for the working parent respondents when choosing a childcare setting included:

• Safe and clean setting

• Quality of the Provider

• Close to Home

• Student Learning

In a post-COVID work world, many parents (and specifically women) are seeking childcare and family-friendly solutions that will allow them to reenter the workforce, while a vast majority of currently employed workers (80%) are echoing the need for intentional family-friendly policies in order to stay in their current jobs.

Child Care assistance, flexibility, and other family-friendly practices are increasingly becoming a strategic lever for employers of all sizes who are seeing the direct correlation between these policies and the strength, success, and sustainability of their workforce.

While childcare is one of the top needs that employees share, for getting back to work, supporting the fragile child care industry requires innovation of its own. PostCOVID recovery for childcare small business owners is daunting as they work to make up for lost revenue, increased PPE and sanitation costs, and unpredictable enrollment rates.

When replacing an employee costs a business 6 to 9 months of that employee’s salary, the ROI becomes clear. Family-friendly policies are not just good for working parents – they are beneficial for businesses who seek to maintain a competitive advantage by attracting, retaining, and developing a top-flight workforce both for today and for the future.

The Best Place for Working Parents® is a growing network of business leaders proving that family-friendly is business-friendly. Originating in Fort Worth, Texas, The Best Place for Working Parents® effort is expanding across the state and nationwide, supporting businesses with researchbacked strategies that benefit working parents and businesses’ bottom line. w

On The Spot to Open New State-of-the-Art Car Wash Facility

Getting your car cleaned has never been this sweet, or even this luxurious.

On Thursday, February 16, Huntsville’s On The Spot will host a grand opening for its first ever one of a kind facility, bringing a brand new business model to North Alabama.

The festivities start at 1:00pm and will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, a live band, catering, and giveaways. The new facility will be located at 6555 University Drive NW, Huntsville, AL.

On The Spot has invested $7 million into this new business model that features an assembly-style conveyor belt running over 220 feet in length.

At this location, On the Spot will boast the world’s longest full-service car wash. It will also have a detail center equipped with two dry bays for tint and paint correction, three detailing bays, and one hand wash bay.

“Over the past two years we have toured domestically and internationally at any car wash claiming to be the best. I’m building this to be the Taj Mahal of car washes,” said owner Nathan Sharp.

This facility was a plan seven years in the making. Mr. Sharp saw a need in the market for a full-service car wash that provides a total clean for customers so they do not have to do any work themselves, while still upholding his philosophy that “no spot goes untouched.”

The result of this innovative business model is a state-of-the-art car wash with a strong focus on the customer experience.

For customers, there will be a 40ft wraparound bar that will serve snacks and beverages. There will also be a Spot-on self-serve station for all customers, featuring fair trade coffee, organic sodas, and snacks. Available to members only will be complimentary beer and wine and a cigar lounge, where they can view the final stages of our assembly-line process.

To enhance the experience, the customer waiting areas will include a 700-gallon saltwater aquarium and over 20 large 4k televisions.

At this new location, On The Spot anticipates washing over 300 vehicles with hand-wash quality in a single day. Some of the processes the company has been doing by hand at other locations will be done more quickly by machine, but the quality will be the same since we will be using all-foam wash material.

“The foam wash equipment is a first-of-its-kind in the United States. It will allow us to wash cars at speed, around three to four minutes per car, while still providing a gentle touch experience,” said Sharp.

The wash time will be reduced from 45 minutes for a hand wash to 8-15 minutes for this full-service, partially automated experience. w

Torch Technologies Announced the Promotions of Sam Burkett to Senior Vice President and Brady Porter to Vice President Effective February 1, 2023

Burkett joined Torch in 2016 and manages the Torch Air Force Weapons Group headquartered in Shalimar, FL, with employee-owners in Albuquerque, NM, Dayton, OH, Boston, MA, Hampton, VA, Las Vegas, NV, Montgomery, AL, and San Antonio, TX.

He has provided over 35 years of technical and management expertise in the field of aerospace and defense, with over 30 of those years at Eglin Air Force Base.

Burkett is currently President of the Gulf Coast NDIA and the Chairman of the Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council. He is a long-term member and has been the Chairman of the Economic Development Council’s Defense Support Initiative (DSI).

Burkett is also a current Board Member for Okaloosa-Walton Career Source, past-President of the Okaloosa/Walton United Way, and past-Vice President of the Gulf Coast Council Boy Scouts of America. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors for the EDC, the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Children In Crisis, and the Emerald Coast Military Affairs Council.

Burkett received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Statistics from the University of

Southern Mississippi, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from The University of West Florida, a Master of Science in Management from Troy University, and post-graduate studies in Systems Engineering at the University of Florida.

“Mr. Burkett is a distinguished leader supporting a vast array of Air Force programs. He is a tremendous asset to the success of our customers, a leader of our employee-owners, and a servant to the Northwest Florida community. We know his experience and dedication to the mission will continue leading Torch forward,” said Torch President Brad Walker.

Porter joined Torch in 2004 and manages the Torch Advanced Concept Engineering (ACE) Group headquartered in Huntsville, AL with employee-owners in multiple locations across the United States. He has over 25 years of experience in the defense industry.

During his tenure at Torch and prior to joining the company, Mr. Porter served in a variety of progressively complex technical and leadership roles. Prior to his promotion, he served as deputy for the Advanced Concept Engineering (ACE) Group which supports a diverse set of customers by providing superior engineering, logistics, operations, test and evaluation, and environmental services and solutions.

The group consists of over 620 Torch employee-owners across four business units focused in the areas of Combat Systems, Strategic Systems, Technology Development, and Space & Joint Operations

“Over the years, Brady has been a dedicated employee-owner who has been an exceptional example of our Torch culture and our core values. He is well versed in the technical and business principles that continue to make Torch successful for our customer mission, employee-owners, and communities,” said Walker.

As Vice President, Mr. Porter will provide senior leadership to the Torch Advanced Concept Engineering (ACE) Group while focusing additional efforts on Torch’s continued growth.

Mr. Porter earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Huntsville Management Academy (MA-8) and Flagship (L-32) programs.

Mr. Porter has volunteered for a number of community programs and currently serves as a board member for both Torch Helps and the Quatina M. Wolaver Foundation of Hope. He resides in Fayetteville, Tennessee with his wife Suzanne, son Cameron, and daughter Carolyn. w

Huntsville Filmmaker Sees Alabama’s Industry Potential

Award-winning Huntsville filmmaker Jurian Isabelle, creator of the movie God of Dreams, has announced the upcoming red carpet premiere of his latest film, Nine Divine. Sponsored by MidCity District, the premiere will be held on March 25 at 6:00 p.m. at Cinemark Bridge Street and XD, with a second showing at 8:00 p.m.

Nine Divine is a mind-bending emotional thrill ride told through the eyes of an introverted, artistic 15-year-old foster girl, Nine, who finds herself pulled into a mystical quest to find her little brother after he and other children suddenly disappear without a trace. This timeless story taps into themes of loss, abandonment, faith, fear, and the struggle to find one’s place in life.

“Lynyrd Skynyrd said it best - Alabama is home,” Isabelle said. “There’s something definitely very beautiful and magical about it and I think the world is beginning to catch on. A lot of people who have ambitions to do something in life feel they have to move somewhere for validation. I’ve never felt like that.”

Although much of the film was shot in Downtown Birmingham, Land Trust of North Alabama’s Three Caves at Monte Sano plays a significant role. According to Isabelle, he chose Huntsville for the location of the premiere because that’s where he got his start. “No matter how big the films get, I probably will always have a premiere here first – before festivals, before distribution, because this is where it all began.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.isabellebrothers. com/ninedivine. The VIP experience will include preferred seating, a limited edition Isabelle Studios T-Shirt and bag, Red Carpet 360/ photos, and a VIP panel with a Q&A film discussion. w

WeCaretlc to Open Expanded Healthcare Center in Huntsville

A new locally run healthcare center is set to open this spring at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville, Alabama, providing cost-effective primary care for local businesses and their employees.

As a leader in implementing and managing onsite health centers around the country, WeCaretlc will manage the Health & Wellness Center of Huntsville and work with employers to provide quality, coordinated, patient-centric healthcare for their employees.

The center’s anchor tenant, Dynetics, is an information technology company with more than 3,500 employees headquartered in Huntsville.

“We’ve been proud to be part of the Huntsville community for six years, and we’re just getting started,” said Raegan Le Douaron, President and CEO of WeCare tlc. “We’re excited to see more growth and opportunities develop in the Huntsville market as we partner with more local employers to improve the health of their employees.”

The center will feature a 5,017 square-foot facility at the Bridge Street Town Centre at 365 The Bridge Street, Suite 106, with a capacity for 10 exam rooms.

Qualified and trusted professionals at the new center will provide primary healthcare services, including wellness check-ups, disease management, onsite prescription drug dispensaries, lab work, and other diagnostics. The expansion is slated for completion in late Spring 2023.

“We are on a mission to transform how healthcare is delivered,” Le Douaron said. “At our centers, we rely on excellent personal service as well as cutting edge data and information to provide outstanding care and better outcomes for our patients.”

Employers interested in making cost-effective primary care accessible to their employees can learn more at wecaretlc.com. w it fund a second dual-source cardiac CT scanner that will reduce patient wait times for diagnostic scans from two months to an anticipated two weeks.

Country Superstar Martina McBride to Headline 34th Annual Huntsville Classic

The Huntsville Hospital Foundation announced that Martina McBride will be headlining its 34th annual Huntsville Classic on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at The Orion Amphitheater.

The country music icon will perform a variety of her greatest hits at this year’s Huntsville Classic concert fundraiser. This is the second year that the event will take place at the new Orion Amphitheater, an 8,000-capacity venue in the heart of Huntsville’s MidCity District.

As a four-time CMA Award winner, McBride has sold more than 23 million records and boasts 20 Top 10 singles and six No. 1 hits. Fan favorites include, “Wild Angels,” “A Broken Wing,” “Anyway,” “Independence Day,” and “This One’s for the Girls.” McBride also has 14 GRAMMY nominations and three Academy of Country Music Awards to her name.

“We are thrilled to have Martina McBride as our headlining artist and to be back at the Orion,” said Bill Roark, 2023 Huntsville Classic co-chair. “We know this year’s Classic will be a terrific concert appealing to different generations in our community, all benefiting a meaningful cause.”

The event benefits Huntsville Hospital’s Heart Center through Huntsville Hospital Foundation. Proceeds will help the not-for-prof-

“This investment will truly be lifesaving for men and women right here in Madison County and from across our region,” said Hank Isenberg, 2023 Huntsville Classic co-chair. “The Heart Center team saved my life, and also my fellow co-chair Bill Roark. We believe in this cause and encourage everyone to buy a ticket or sponsor the 2023 Huntsville Classic to make this technology possible, ultimately saving more lives.”

Huntsville Hospital’s Heart Center and Heart Institute represents the largest and most experienced team of board-certified cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiac anesthesiologists in North Alabama and southern Tennessee and is recognized as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals for superior clinical outcomes.

“We are extremely fortunate to have nationally ranked cardiovascular care so close to home,” said Huntsville Hospital Foundation President Sarah Savage-Jones. “By purchasing a concert ticket, you are helping ensure our local notfor-profit hospital can continue meeting needs and that heart patients can receive the essential care they need, when they need it.”

Tickets for the 34th annual Huntsville Classic go on sale February 10, 2023, via theorionhuntsville.com.

Tickets range from $75.50 to $29.50.

VIP concert seats and benefits are also available for event sponsors. To learn more about sponsor opportunities, contact HHF Director of Corporate Relations Cheryl Geiger at cheryl.geiger@hhsys.org.

Top sponsors of the 2023 Huntsville Classic include IronMountain Solutions, Robins & Morton and Torch Technologies. w

Kristina Hendrix Selected as UAH’s Vice President for Strategic Communications

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has selected Kristina Hendrix to fill the newly created position of Vice President for Strategic Communications.

UAH’s newest VP officially began her new role on Feb. 1. She reports directly to UAH President Charles L. Karr, and her focus will be on providing leadership for a comprehensive communications strategy for the University, as well as overseeing the management of the Office of Marketing and Communications.

“I’m very happy to welcome Kristina Hendrix to The University of Alabama in Huntsville. In this role, I am confident she will not only help UAH continue to grow, but also to meet the challenges and many opportunities that lie ahead for our institution,” said President Karr.

During her career, she has amassed nearly 20 years of communications experience. She is an award-winning public relations executive with extensive expertise in promoting aerospace, national security and advanced manufacturing hardware programs within the Department of Defense, NASA and private industry.

The new appointee comes to UAH from Dynetics, where she held the communications director position since 2016. Additional communication roles include stints with NASA, the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center.

“My desire is for the Office of Marketing and Communications to be a known and trusted counselor to our stakeholders and to develop and implement effective communication strategies and projects across our campus,” Hendrix says. “UAH is a preeminent research institution, and it is vital that our communication strategy plays a key role in all facets of the University’s growth and future.”

Huntsville Fire & Rescue’s Mac McFarlen to Receive Distinguished Community Award

Huntsville Fire & Rescue Chief Howard “Mac” McFarlen is the latest recipient of the Career Fire Chief of the Year award from the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs (AAFC).

With 45 years of fire service experience, McFarlen has contributed significantly to public safety in the City of Huntsville, Madison County and State of Alabama. Known for his steady demeanor and commitment to keeping Huntsville safe, McFarlen exemplifies the finest in public safety leadership.

The AAFC, a fellowship of fire chiefs and senior chief officers from across the state, will formally recognize McFarlen during the group’s fall conference in Gulf Shores.

“I am extremely grateful for this award, and thank the AAFC for this honor,” he said. “I am also thankful for the brave men and women of Huntsville Fire & Rescue who I have the great privilege of leading each day. I look forward to continuing to serve with you and for the community as a whole.”

McFarlen was instrumental in reorganizing Huntsville Fire & Rescue’s Hazmat Team to become a fully functional, 24/7 special assignment unit with certified and specially trained personnel.

Since that time, he has further advanced the unit’s capabilities to become a special operations division and join the Alabama Mutual Aid System (AMAS). McFarlen went on to chair the AMAS Training Committee that oversaw the development and training of all AMAS teams statewide.

“Rarely does one encounter an individual with a passion for service and public safety that matches that of Chief McFarlen,” Mayor Battle said.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center Names

Robert La Branche VP of External Affairs

Robert La Branche has been named as Vice President of External Affairs at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC). His responsibilities include engaging with local, state, and federal leaders to build awareness of the Rocket Center and its programs and to build partnerships to support them.

Before assuming his new fulltime role, La Branche served as Special Assistant to the CEO in a part-time capacity.

“We are so excited to have Robert join the Rocket Center team full time,” said USSRC CEO and Executive Director Dr. Kimberly Robinson. “He has already proven to be a valuable asset in engaging government and industry leaders with our mission of education and inspiration.”

La Branche has served as an aerospace and defense consultant as the head of Real Strategies, LLC, which he founded in 2014. Among other clients, La Branche worked with the strategic communications team of the Space Launch System Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center from 2014 until late 2021.

He has also served as Executive Director of the Alabama Military Stability Foundation since April 2018, and he will remain on an interim basis as its volunteer executive director to assist with the transition to a new director.

“It is a high honor to have the privilege to take this leadership position at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, an icon for the State of Alabama and a beacon for STEM education,” La Branche said. “I am passionate about the Rocket Center’s mission and look forward to serving in this capacity.”

Huntsville’s Lori King-Taylor Selected to Serve on SACS COC Board of Trustees

Lori King-Taylor, Owner and CEO of Trinity Performance Solutions, has been elected to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC).

SACS COC is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices primarily among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and certain other international sites approved by the SACS COC Board of Trustees that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

“The SACS accreditation signifies quality programs, services and student support. In order to become accredited, an institution must comply with SACSCOC's Principles of Integrity, Comprehensive Standards, Core Requirements, and Federal Requirements, as well as with policies of the Commission on Colleges,” said King-Taylor.

SACS COC serves as the recognized regional accrediting body for institutions of higher education quality. As a Trustee, Ms. King-Taylor will represent approximately 800 institutions and be responsible for determining Commission policy, reviewing and making decisions regarding the accreditation of institutions, and conducting the initial review for any proposed dues changes or any modifications to the standards of the Commission.

“It is an honor to have been nominated and elected to serve the SACS Commission on Colleges in this capacity. Education has been a passion of mine my entire adult life and I am looking forward to serving the higher education community in this most important role,” said King-Taylor.